Funny, I had this conversation tonight at the club with a chap who works mending roads. He had been labouring outdoors since 6:30am, but I pointed out that we office workers have it tough too. For example, our kitchen was being refitted today at work. We had to walk all the way down (one flight of) stairs just to make a cup of coffee!

Funny, I had this conversation tonight at the club with a chap who works mending roads. He had been labouring outdoors since 6:30am, but I pointed out that we office workers have it tough too. For example, our kitchen was being refitted today at work. We had to walk all the way down (one flight of) stairs just to make a cup of coffee!

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luxury. i have to go down a flight of stairs, across a rainy courtyard and then have to decide upon the free kenco coffee from the machine or a starbucks that costs 85p.

My old employers were like this and their core business was Utilities - i.e. water.

Only once did the staff get sent home - the office dropped to 12c as the heating had failed (oil powered) and the electric kept tripping due to power overload (no elec heaters). It was only when the Audit Manager from our firm of Auditors said "I'll have to send my staff home, it's too cold" - I then told HR that they can't expect our staff to stay, when the temp is well below the legal minimum.... anyway they let them home - I stayed with my coat done up to the top (problem being a boss and work to do - yep for the auditors that had gone home)....

Office temperatures: pah! Went into a factory on a "blitz" of unregistered dumps, to see that the snow that morning had blown though the roof gaps, settled on the machinery (lathes etc), and due to the fact there was no (nil) heating, was showing no signs of melting. Part way through an interview with the owner we were interrupted by an explosion: bodged electrics to a van battery sparked, hydrogen gas exploded, as it does, acid and the remains of the battery case scattered. Luckily I had our medic with us (by chance) who treated the guy with acid in his face. Office workers have it soft.... All true BTW. Got my prosecution count up quite well

Office temperatures: pah! Went into a factory on a "blitz" of unregistered dumps, to see that the snow that morning had blown though the roof gaps, settled on the machinery (lathes etc), and due to the fact there was no (nil) heating, was showing no signs of melting. Part way through an interview with the owner we were interrupted by an explosion: bodged electrics to a van battery sparked, hydrogen gas exploded, as it does, acid and the remains of the battery case scattered. Luckily I had our medic with us (by chance) who treated the guy with acid in his face. Office workers have it soft.... All true BTW. Got my prosecution count up quite well

I remember talking to a bloke who was a heating engineer in the 1970s during the era of the strong trade union. He turned up to a factory one day to fix the heating, only to encounter the entire workforce coming out of the gates. Upon finding a member of management, he was told: "it's too cold in there, so they've walked out. The quicker you can get the heating back on, the better." On hearing this, he promptly turned around and walked off. When the manager asked what he was doing, he replied:
"well, if it's too cold for them, it's too cold for me!"
He said it was worth it just for the look on the guy's face, although I think he did go and fix the heating eventually.